The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the region of Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 153 -
The Lord and the 2 Greeks.
Now we went outside again, and just as I stepped out of the door, the 2 Greeks bowed down immediately before Me and asked Me to tell something more about Myself.
2
But I said to them: "Why should I tell you something more about Myself? For you are rock solid adherents of Pythagoras and partly also of Aristotle, and the word alone you do not believe, and if I would perform a sign before your eyes, you will say: 'Ah, He is one from the school of the Essenes.' So you can see that My testimony about Myself would not have a great or useful value for you, and therefore for the time being it will be almost wiser to keep silent before you than to speak."
3
The 2 Greeks said: "Master, You have spoken correctly and truthfully, and since You have so sharply characterized us with a few words, we have now already very clearly seen that You can very well see in the inside of man. And even for the cleverest philosopher it would be difficult to pretend even a little bit before You. But since we have concluded this already from Your few words, and have therefore no reason not to trust Your words, You can, if You want, tell us something more about Yourself, for a word from the mouth of a truly great wise man is more valuable for the life of many thousand times thousand men than all the treasures of the Earth that cannot strengthen or comfort them in the end of their days.
4
The word of a wise man becomes a permanent possession of the human heart, and once the evening of life is really dawning, and man comes into the days that are no more pleasant to him, then that word becomes a light full of comfort and true, inner power of life, and thus the most truthful and most inner friend of everyone. And therefore, we would gladly like to hear a few words from Your mouth about Yourself, for we are already beforehand fully convinced that our hearts will find a great comfort and a good, true strengthening in Your words."
5
I said: "If you believe that, then come with us to the terrace on the mountain, there we will further speak with each other."
6
The 2 Greeks said: "Master, although this rocky mountain is not high, but it is very steep, and healthy lungs and rather healthy feet are needed to reach the terrace on the mountain without great effort. We are - all praise to the God of the Jews - in this institution already on the way of improvement, but our chest and our feet are still not really all right. That is why it finally will be a bit difficult for us to reach the terrace on the mountain. Would You not rather for us spend a short time here, where it is flat, wherefore we certainly will be grateful to You according to our means."
7
I said: "Dear friends, I alone know why I only on the mountain want to speak with you, and then you will know it also. So do not be afraid for this hill, for your little effort will be changed into a real comfort."
8
On these words of Mine the 2 Greeks decided to go with us on the mountain anyway, and when we came on top at the terrace, the 2 were surprised that they had reached that height with hardly noticeable trouble or effort, and this while they could very easily breath, and they thought that the emanation of also this mountain, as well as the healing springs that proceeded from its interior had a very beneficial influence on the body of men. They thought that to such mountains should be given some kind of godly honor, and its tops should be decorated with one or even several temples that are dedicated to the gods, because men thought, and also believed, that such mountains with their healing springs were especially visited and repeatedly blessed by the immortal gods for the well being of suffering and mortal mankind in their affliction.
9
The one said further: "It surely will be quite different, but most of the people who were thrown into the world without ever being instructed by someone about the reason of their existence, think differently. The sight of the sky, with the sun, the moon, the countless stars, and the sight of the whole nature of the Earth stimulated them to all kinds of supernatural assumptions through their own always lively fantasy, to which also very lively dreams of certain people must have contributed, which can of course only be the result of a very lively fantasy. And so, doctrines about higher, supernatural beings were certainly the result of assumptions and dreams that were later transformed by spiritual poets into all kinds of personalities and who were illustrated to the people by artful sculptors.
10
After that, came skillful orators and magicians, from who the present, almost invincible priesthood with its temples and oracles originated, which keeps the common people into a blind belief in the mighty gods - in whom no priest believes anymore - and this no more for the sake of the gods but for the sake of the kings and princes, so that they would not stand up against their tormentors and would bring them to ruin.
11
But no matter how with these gods, I am of the opinion that even the most blind belief in one or more higher beings is always still better than no belief at all, and a mountain or a hill that is decorated with a temple is more constructive to the human mind than a wild plain that gives little nourishment to the fantasy of man.
12
With this I do not want to edify idolatry as a reality compared to an extremely wise Man like You, great Master, but I do not despise it because it gives the desired comfort to numberless masses of people during their bitter life on this Earth in all distress, and finally even in the always painful moment of their dying. And in this respect I fully agree with the wise Aristotle, without doing away in the least of the much more edifying religion.
13
And so, I and my friend have now completely revealed ourselves before You, and I believe now that You also, great Master, can reveal Yourself a little more to us. But let Your own will guide You, as also ours is guiding us.
14
Look, I just would like to add one more thing from our old Greek wisdom to what is already said: we are truly wise men in our own manner, because we always keep in mind that we will soon die. We only try to attain to the kind of happiness on this Earth that death would not be a terror to us, but would be a comforting, true refreshment for the heart. That is why the word from the mouth of a great wise man is more valuable to us than all the treasures of the Earth, for it can also become a comforting light in our heart when our eye will extinguish for the light of the world.
15
So be so kind, very wise Master, to give such a word to us 2, then You Yourself will be happier in knowing that You have made 2 unhappy people happy."